HUTCHINSON, Kan. – Three USD 308 elementary schools came together for a specialized professional development event for staff on Friday, March 31, 2023.
Faris Elementary, Morgan Elementary, and McCandless Leadership Academy, combined forces to host an immersive staff training event called Ed Camp REGULATE. March 31, 2023, was a scheduled professional development day for all USD 308 elementary staff, and leaders of these three schools wanted to create an opportunity for educators to collaborate and learn together.
“Teachers completed a learning needs assessment and we are bringing in outside speakers to present sessions specifically tailored to meet our teachers’ needs,” said James Moffett, principal of Faris Elementary.
The event consisted of eight events that staff could choose from throughout the day. As the name of the event suggests, each session focused on a different aspect of regulation. Session topics included self-care, student engagement, time management, and emotional regulation through movement.
“They get to jump in and jump out of sessions, so if it’s not meeting their needs while they’re in there, they can move to the next one. It also mixes them together so they get different perspectives as they are in those sessions,” said McCandless Leadership Academy principal, Cara Schrag.
“There are a lot of veteran teachers here today, so I’m happy to learn what they’ve seen before, and anything I can to expand my teaching game and hopefully pass that on,” said special education teacher Brett Reichert at Faris Elementary.
“We’re hoping staff take the things they signed up for and apply it to their classrooms. We’re hoping they can take these things and recharge and apply what they need for their profession,” said Bryan Cunningham, principal of Morgan Elementary.
Approximately 95 staff members attended the REGULATE event.
